A Fresh Antidote Against Neonomian Bane, Title page – To the reader
Alexipharmacon: OR, A FRESH ANTIDOTE AGAINST Neonomian Bane and Poyſon TO THE Proteſtant Religion.
Being a Reply to the late Biſhop of Worceſter's Diſcourſe of Chriſt's Satisfaction, in Anſwer to the Appeal of the late Mr. Steph. Lob.
And alſo a Refutation of the Doctrine of Juſtification by Man's own Works of Obedience, delivered and defended by Mr. John Humphrey, and Mr. Sane. Clark, contrary to Scripture, and the Doctrine of the firſt Reformers from Popery.
If there had been a Law given, which could have given Life; verily Righteouſneſs had been by the Law: But the Scripture hath concluded all under Sin, that the Promiſe by Faith of Jeſus Chriſt, might be given to them that believe, Gal. 3.21, 22.
By ISAAC CHAƲNCY, M. A.
London: Printed for, and Sold by W. Marſhall at the Bible in Newgate-Street, 1700.
THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
THE Points Controverted in this ſmall Treatiſe, are not of the leaſt moment to the Chriſtian Religion, all Reducible to theſe two great Queſtions.
1. Whether our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in his Suffering, bore the Perſonal guilt of any or no?
2. Whether our Inherent Obedience to the New Law, be the Righteouſneſs by which a Believer is Juſtified before God?
The firſt Queſtion comes to be diſcuſſed upon the Controverſie about change of Perſons, Mr. Lob aſſerting, That the change of Perſons between Chriſt and Believers, conſiſted in Chriſt being made ſin for us by the Imputation of our ſins to him in a legal Sence, and a Believers being made the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt by Imputation; and both by tranſaction of our Perſonal guilt and puniſhment (due to us) for Sin, to Chriſt; and of his righteouſneſs in bearing ſin and puniſhment, to us. This change of Perſons the Scripture aſſerts in plain Words 2 Cor. 5.21. This Mr. Lob aſſerts, Report, p. 13. and the Biſhop denies, and ſaith, That the change was not in reſpect of the guilt of Sin, becauſe Chriſt bore the Perſonal guilt of none, and whatever Chriſt did or ſuffered, the perſonal guilt of ſin remains on Believers and can never be taken away. But he tells us of a kind of Change that he is for, viz. That Chriſt was puniſht, that we might not be puniſht, and this is all our ſtead that Chriſt ſtood in; now if Chriſt ſtood not in our ſtead as Sinners, and he was not made Sin for us, its to aſſert that which is Expreſly contrary to Scripture, and moſt irrational to men of Ʋnderſtanding as ſhall be made appear. And the Change which is pretended by the Biſhop is no change in the ſence of the Spirit of God, at beſt it can be but a partial change, neither as a Publick perſon, nor in the Room of the Sinner as ſuch: It is ſuch a change as when three perſons are condemned, and they are thro' the mercy of the Legiſlator to caſt Lots for their lives, one only to die; now be on whom Deaths Lot falls, dieth that in the event the other may not die, yet this Perſon dieth but in Relation to his own Sins, not upon the account of the others Sins: Many Inſtances might be given of the like Nature, where a Man does or ſuffer for another, that the other may not; and here is a change of Perſons in reſpect of Punity and Impunity, but Note, that its no true Change, if Deſert remains on the Original Tranſgreſſor; and the Sufferer ſuffer under no Deſert, neither is ſuch Sufferings Puniſhment in any Law Sence, neither can that Perſon be ever Righteouſneſs, that ſtandeth in the Perſonal Guilt of his Sin unremoved; but this is not the Place to enlarge on this Point.
I ſhall only Note, that in one thing the Biſhop got the Weather-gage of Mr. Lob, Mr. Lob having in expreſs Terms renounced that Change of Perſons, which Dr. Criſp Aſſerts. The Biſhop very honeſtly proves, that Dr. Criſp aſſerted no other Change of Perſons, then what Mr. Lob contends for, and therein he hath done Juſtice both to Dr. Criſp, and Mr. Lob; and truly its but a ſorry Buſineſs of any Man of Learning and Ingenuity, to inveigh highly againſt the Opinion of another, as erroneous, when he himſelf is neceſſitated by his Principles to hold the ſame thing, only a little differing in way of Expreſſions. Neither let the Reader think, that I appear to Juſtifie Mr. L's appealing to the Biſhop, for I was always against it, and declared to him, how much I and others was offended at it, and at his nauſeous fawning and flattering of him, as if he intended to lay down his Faith at his Feet, for he could not but know the Biſhops ſettled Opinion in this Point (as I told him) by the Letters he wrote to Mr. H. and Mr. W. yea, and to himſelf before his Appeal, and then if ſo, what a piece of Pageantry was it in him to Appeal to the Biſhop? but it must be done, it ſeems the Wind of his Phantaſie without any Reaſon hurrying him this Way, the Iſſue whereof is that, were Mr. L. alive, he would ſee he is inevitably run a ground; and therefore, although I can't get him off as to that matter yet, I hope to ſee the Truth ſafe, the main Thing which the Good Man contended for, for I am not to defend Men who will have their Imprudencies and Imperfections, but the good Cauſe he defended.
The Second great Thing I contend for, is the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, that it is the only Righteouſneſs that a Believer is juſtified by; Mr. Humphr. and Mr. Clerk Aſſert our Juſtification by a Believers own inherent Righteouſneſs, i. e. by their Works of Obedience to the New Law, a Tenent that hath an inſeparable Connexion unto the former. I ſhall not detain the Reader any longer therein, but refer him to the Treatiſe it ſelf.
Laſtly, I finding in the Biſhops Treatiſe, a Preſentation of the Independants, brought in by the Presbyterians, for holding ſeveral Antinomian Principles which the Rebuker calls Bane and Poyſon, in that Form of Prayer which he hath taught his Diſciples. I have thought it requiſite to Entitle my Book accordingly Alexipharmacon, and though I take the Rebuker to be of too haughty a Constitution (abounding in Choler) to be my Patient, yet I am not diſcouraged from expoſing this Preparation to Publick Advantage, not doubting but ſome may reap Benefit thereby; and hence I have endeavoured alſo to correct the Druggs, which the unskilful Rebuker hath cast away with his prophane Faugh, for Bane and Poyſon; and ſhew, that if they be but a little ſcraped and wip'd from the Dirt and Filth, which he and his ſlovenly Apothecary hath put upon them, they will become a Christians wholeſome Food, and ſubſtantial Medicine, being the Fruit and Leaves of the Tree of Life for the healing of the Nations, Rev. 22.2.